Field
Various aspects of the present disclosure relate to wireless communications and, more particularly, to methods, apparatuses, and systems for providing security to communications components employing wireless wide area network (WWAN) wireless local area network (WLAN) aggregation.
Background
In recent years, usage of mobile device data has been growing at an exponential rate by almost doubling every year. Although advances in cellular technology have increased the performance and capacity of cellular networks, it's predicted that this alone will not be enough to meet the demand for mobile data. Using unlicensed spectrum provides an excellent opportunity for cellular operators to help their subscribers by increasing network data capacity.
The traditional method for data offloading to unlicensed spectrum by cellular operators has been to use 802.1x based WLAN networks. These networks may be deployed by cellular operators themselves or others. In order to provide an architectural framework and standardization for WLAN offloading, standardization bodies have developed several solutions that enable interworking with WLAN and provide data offloading through switching of data bearers to WLAN.
One option for WWAN (e.g., long term evolution (LTE) networks) and WLAN interworking is data aggregation at the radio access network (RAN). Such data aggregation, which may be referred to herein as LTE-WLAN aggregation or LWA, involves an Evolved NodeB (eNB) scheduling packets to be served on LTE and WLAN (e.g., Wi-Fi®) radio links.
One advantage of such a method is that it may provide better utilization/control of resources on both the LTE and WLAN links. This can increase the aggregate throughput for all devices/users and improve the total system capacity by better managing the radio resources among devices/users. Scheduling decisions for each link can be made at a packet level based on real-time channel conditions and system resource availability. Furthermore, data aggregation at the RAN can be implemented without any changes to the core network since the WLAN radio link effectively becomes part of the Enhanced Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN).
Along with the aforementioned advantages of LWA come new concerns over data security. Care must be taken to secure data that is now transmitted over both WWAN and WLAN links. There is a need for methods, apparatuses, and systems that secure communications between user devices and WWAN and WLAN network components in such LWA systems.